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The inquest heard how, on the evening before his death (April 16), Mr Farley had attended Ms Reid's address in Chard drunk and under the influence of drugs, stating that he had run out of his Valium medication.

The out-of-hours GP service advised Ms Reid to phone for an ambulance, and when paramedics arrived they in turn suggested admitting Mr Farley to A&E.

A crowdfunding campaign was started by South Chard Church to pay for Mr Farley's funeral

Mr Farley refused, stating that he had done this on several previous occasions and had not received the help he needed.

The police were subsequently called, but could not section Mr Farley under the Mental Health Act because he was in a private residence.

Mr Farley responded that the police were "useless" and "a waste of time", adding: "I will only get help when it's too late", and then he began to walk home.

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Ms Reid said in her written statement: "We did everything we could for Nigel and were let down by the emergency services. They were appallingly disinterested."

When police officers called at his home that same evening, Mr Farley was initially reluctant to speak to officers but eventually invited them into his home.

He reassured them that his Christian faith prevented him from committing suicide, saying "The big man [God] wouldn't let me" and stating that his only intentions were "to have a few beers and go to sleep".

Officers commented that Mr Farley was "calm and apologetic" and shook their hands, assuring them that "he would be fine".

The following day - April 17 - Mr Farley made a number of phone calls, including one to a drug dealer from whom he hoped to secure "two lights".

When his dealer refused to supply him, Mr Farley told his family: "I'm glad, because I don't want to die."

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When Ms Crossley and Ms Dobson dropped him back at his flat at 3.30pm, having provided him with six cans of beer, he seemed "happy and content" and said that he would travel to Ms Reid's later that day to collect a prescription, which had been arranged following the previous evening.

At 4.55pm, Mr Farley was found hanging in his flat, and was formally declared dead by paramedics 20 minutes later.

In a statement, his family stated: "Nigel had no intention of killing himself. We don't understand how this could happen."

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In recording the cause of death as hanging, pathologist Dr Edwin Cooper stated that quantities of alcohol, methadone and cocaine had been found in Mr Farley's system - but the blood alcohol level was "not excessive enough to be the cause of death".

Dr Cooper added that there was "no way of telling" whether the drugs in Mr Farley's system were the result of an overdose some time prior to his death, or had accumulated in his body due to prolonged use over a period of time.

The inquest heard that Mr Farley had been struggling with alcohol and drug additions for two decades, with his GP first recording such dependences in December 1996.

Mr Williams told the family and their supporter that he had to be satisfied "beyond reasonable doubt" on three grounds in order to record Mr Farley's death as a suicide.

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While he was satisfied beyond reasonable doubt that Mr Farley "died by his own hand", he stressed that he was not satisfied that he had "intended to end his life", or that there were no other possible explanations for his death.

He reminded Mr Farley's family that it was not his role to apportion blame for the death, adding that the inquest would have been adjourned indefinitely before this date if any criminal proceedings had been brought against any person or persons in relation to the death.

He also stated that further court proceedings could be undertaken if more evidence had come to light, and that his conclusion would not preclude this.

He closed by saying: "The only conclusion that I can come to is that on April 17 at his home in Chard, Mr Farley [hanged himself], but that his intentions at the time have not been established."

Following Mr Farley's death, South Chard Church successfully raised £3,313 via the crowdfunding site JustGiving in order to pay for the 35-year-old's funeral.

The statement on the JustGiving page read as follows:

Nigel Farley tragically passed away after a long and difficult battle. We are looking to raise funds to contribute towards his funeral and we hope that this will help ease some of the pressures for the family at this difficult time.

Nigel was a valued member of the community and his caring nature touched many lives. He has a unique way of bringing laughter into even the darkest situation. He will be greatly missed.

The family did not make any further comment on the outcome of the inquest once it had concluded.

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Helplines and websites

Samaritans (116 123) operates a 24-hour service available every day of the year. If you prefer to write down how you’re feeling, or if you’re worried about being overheard on the phone, you can email Samaritans at jo@samaritans.org .

Childline (0800 1111) runs a helpline for children and young people in the UK. Calls are free and the number won’t show up on your phone bill.

PAPYRUS (0800 068 41 41) is a voluntary organisation supporting teenagers and young adults who are feeling suicidal.

Depression Alliance is a charity for people with depression. It doesn’t have a helpline, but offers a wide range of useful resources and links to other relevant information.